“After a hard fought and close campaign, I congratulate Jean Godden on her reelection to the Seattle City Council,” Forch, a manager with the city’s Department of Transportation, said in a statement.

The count currently stands at 82,114 votes for Godden and 79,493 for Forch: The incumbent has 50.61 percent of the vote. Godden, a longtime Seattle newspaper columnist, was elected to the Council in 2003.

While conceding, Forch had some advice for the Council that he has tried to join in two elections.

“I know we are in a tough budget situation but we should keep looking at ways we can roll back parking hours to help our small businesses,” he argued. Forch said the City Council should “examine more closely” why the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the Seattle Police Department.

The victory by Godden means all five Seattle City Council incumbents who were up for reelection will begin new terms in January. Voters did unseat Seattle School Board incumbents Peter Maier and Steve Sundquist.